


An Excess of Excitement (The Bee-Phasic Remix)

by Veldeia



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Anaphylaxis, Avengers Vol. 1 (1963), Bees, Early in Canon, Except they're not really bees but close enough, Fluff, Getting Together, Hurt Tony Stark, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Porn, M/M, Pining, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-19 02:20:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9413579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veldeia/pseuds/Veldeia
Summary: Sam throws a party, Steve is sad Iron Man isn't there, and Tony has an unfortunate encounter with a bee that turns out to be more sinister than meets the eye.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A Little Bit of Action](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7578718) by [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna). 



> This story is a remix of [A Little Bit of Action](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7578718) by [MusicalLuna](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalLuna/pseuds/MusicalLuna), 'verse-switched from MCU to vaguely modernized early 616 (as in, the classic lineup, vol 1 Avengers, post #4 and pre #16), with a few additional plot twists. Vaguely modernized here means that there are things like cell phones and EpiPens around, but Iron Man's armor looks more like it did way back then (and Tony has a classic chest plate situation going on).
> 
> There's one major canon alteration: Sam Wilson was introduced much later in canon, but he's a main character in the story I'm remixing, and I wanted to include him anyway, so let's just pretend he was Cap's sidekick instead of Rick Jones. Also, while Sam's sister Sarah and nephew Jody appear in Captain America vol 1 #134, his niece is only shown in All-New Captain America Vol 1 #6 and so far hasn't been named; I went with the name from MusicalLuna's fic.
> 
> Thank you to my betas, [Lets_call_me_Lily](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Lets_call_me_Lily) and [Muccamukk](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Muccamukk/pseuds/Muccamukk), for grammar polishing, canon nitpicking, and general encouragement! <3

"Hi there, Captain!" Sam Wilson greets Steve with a delighted smile as the four costumed Avengers and their one civilian friend step out of the car.

"Sam! Good to see you," Steve replies, and offers Sam his hand, which Sam shakes enthusiastically.

"Glad you could make it," Sam says.

"The pleasure is all ours," Steve says. "These kinds of events make being an Avenger a much happier affair."

Steve looks around: the small park they've entered has clearly been set up with love and care. There are decorations hanging from trees branches, catering booths with delicious smells wafting from them, and even a bouncy castle in one corner of the area. Several dozen kids have already gathered around, some with their parents, some playing together. Steve really appreciates Sam and his co-workers putting this party together for all the kids in the quarter.

The other Avengers are already familiar with Sam, since he has joined them on several missions. They greet him each in their own manner: Thor with a vigorous handshake and a clap on the back, the Wasp with a peck on the cheek, and Ant-Man with a simple nod and "hi".

There's one person in the party that Sam hasn't met yet, even though they both certainly know of one another. "Sam, meet the man without whose financial support we wouldn't get very far at all: Tony Stark," Steve makes the rather unnecessary introduction. "Tony, meet Sam Wilson, a good friend of mine, and also a great help to the Avengers."

Sam shakes Tony's hand, looking not as much star-struck as guarded. "Mr. Stark. I'm sure this is nothing to write home about for you, considering the kind of parties you must be used to," he says apologetically.

"Nonsense," Tony replies, with a bright smile. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world. You're doing very important work here, Mr. Wilson. Actually, I'd like to discuss how my company could help, either with funding, or possibly offering internships."

"Oh? That would be very kind of you," Sam says, his expression lightening up.

"It's the least I can do, seeing as I'm not a hero like the rest of you." Tony looks from Sam to the Avengers by his side.

"Heroism comes in many shapes," Sam says. "Although—and don't take this the wrong way—I'm flattered that you're here, but it's too bad Iron Man couldn't come with you. The kids would've loved him."

Steve, too, is disappointed that Iron Man couldn't join them. He considers Iron Man one of his closest friends; he's easily the Avenger Steve enjoys spending time with most, and this party could've offered a rare opportunity to do that in a more laid-back circumstance than usual.

Steve appreciates Iron Man's need to hold on to his secret identity. He doesn't mind that even though Iron Man knows his real name, he doesn't know Iron Man's. Still, he hopes he'll eventually get the chance to see the face behind that mask, as well as the rest of him. His armor, as far as Steve can tell, is very streamlined, and hints that the man wearing it must be quite athletic. Steve would never admit it to anyone, but he does occasionally steal a glance at that shapely metal-covered behind.

Steve wonders if Iron Man wears such a concealing helmet to hide some kind disfigurement. Not that Steve cares if he does. He doesn't expect Iron Man to look as perfect as, say, Tony Stark, with his flawlessly arranged hair and beard, and an appearance that could rival any movie star’s. Tony's face is certainly easy to look at. He's the sort of guy Steve wouldn't mind a one night stand with, if he happened to be into that sort of thing. Going by Tony's reputation, Steve isn't the only one who thinks that. But Steve isn't interested in Tony, not really. He's drawn towards the mystery, the strength of character and the welcoming friendliness of Iron Man, like a moth to a gleaming red and gold flame.

Steve doesn't _really_ care what Iron Man looks like; he wants to learn to know what Iron Man likes, what he does to unwind when he's not on some important mission or other. What his hopes and dreams are. He wants to take off that helmet and look into his eyes, twine his fingers in his hair and pull him into a kiss.

"I'm sure they would've," Tony replies, startling Steve out of his revelry. "Unfortunately, he's on an important mission, and wasn't sure when he'd be back. He might pay a visit later tonight."

"Well, better not tell the kids that," Sam says. "They'll be terribly disappointed if they think he might show and then doesn't."

"Better not. They'll have to settle for me instead. Oh, and the four Avengers here," Tony waves a hand at Steve, Wasp, Ant-Man and Thor.

"They'll still think this is the coolest party this neighborhood has ever seen," Sam says.

"You know they already do," comments a woman standing nearby. Her warm smile looks so much like Sam's that they must be related.

"My sister Sarah," Sam introduces her to everyone. "The moody kid over there is her son, Jody," he points out a young man leaning against a tree, his arms crossed. He's looking thoroughly unimpressed by and uninterested in everything in the way only teenagers can. "And if you watch really carefully, you might spot Mattie over there," he waves a hand at where a girl who looks to be about ten is hiding behind another tree, playing with several other kids.

"It is a pleasure to meet your lovely kin," Thor comments, beaming at Sam and Sarah.

"It really is," the Wasp joins in.

"It's great," Ant-Man says, somewhat less enthusiastically. "I think we should go check those food stalls now, the smell is making me hungry!"

–

The chicken wings Steve decided to go for are exactly as delicious as he'd expected, and the other Avengers seem equally pleased. Ant-Man is discussing the virtues of different spices with one of the catering personnel, while Thor is systematically working his way through everything that's on the menu, offering smiles and profuse compliments to the staff. Tony and the Wasp have moved on to mingle with the guests—in other words, to entertain the kids. The Wasp is brilliant at that, as she tends to be. Currently, she's shrunk to pixie size and is flitting around, making her entourage of little girls squeal in awe and delight. Steve is somewhat surprised to see that Tony seems to be in his element as much as the Wasp is; he didn't expect the inventor to get along with children so well.

He imagines that Iron Man would have liked it here. Steve has seen him with young fans before, and he always has time and kind words for them. It occurs to him that since he doesn't know anything about Iron Man's life outside the Avengers, what’s to say that Iron Man doesn't have a family, and kids of his own? Sure, he seems to lead a life far too dangerous and too busy for that, but it isn't entirely unimaginable. Maybe he's good with kids because he's used to them. And if he does have a family, then Steve really shouldn't be thinking about him so much.

"You seem preoccupied today, Cap," Sam notes, nudging Steve's bicep. "Anything you wanna talk about?"

"Uh, no, it's nothing," Steve tries to dismiss him, hoping the cowl will hide most of the blush that he can feel on his cheeks. His thoughts are going in circles like those of a teenager with a crush.

"So, this nothing, then, does she have a name?" Sam asks with a knowing look.

Damn Sam and his observant mind. Steve hasn't known him for long, but they're already good friends, and Sam knows his identity—and apparently also how to read his moods.

"He, actually," Steve admits, "and tell you the truth, I don't even know it."

If Sam is surprised that Steve has feelings for a man, he doesn't show it, only quirking an eyebrow ever so slightly. "That sounds complicated. Another masked hero, then? A spy? A secret agent?"

Steve doesn't reply right away, considering for a moment. He's half worried Sam will laugh at him if he tells the truth, but then, when Sam laughs at him, it's always good-natured. Maybe Sam will knock some sense into him, tell him he should just forget about this.

"An Avenger, actually," Steve says.

Now, both Sam's eyebrows climb, and his mouth curls in a crooked smile. "I did think you looked kind of miffed when we talked about Iron Man not being here. It's him, isn't it?"

Steve purses his lips, kind of embarrassed. "Is it that obvious?"

"Nah," Sam pats him on the back. "Just a guess, and it was one out of three, so I had pretty good odds! Very nearly said Thor. I mean, I'm not even into guys, but damn, he's fine."

"That he is," Steve agrees.

"So, Iron Man," Sam goes on. "Are you…"

"It's entirely one-sided, and I don't expect that to change," Steve says quickly.

"How come? Do you know he's not interested?"

Steve shrugs. "Honestly, I don't think he is, but I haven't exactly asked. That's not something you take up during a mission."

"Uhuh, and today would've been the perfect chance, but he's not here. I see," Sam says.

It would've, and if he shows up, Steve might do just that. It really isn't why he's here, though, and neither is this conversation. He takes a step towards the opening where Tony's playing with a group of kids. "Iron Man's not here, but I am, and I think it's about time I said hi to the crowd."

Sam follows him, but shakes his head as he goes. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing, Cap. Avoiding the issue isn't going to solve it."

"This conversation isn't, either," Steve notes.

"Just saying," Sam mutters, but doesn't push it.

As they approach, Steve realizes with some amusement that Tony seems to have some kind of a "villains and Avengers" game going on with half a dozen kids. He's cast himself as the bad guy, and is trying to avoid them in moves that are surprisingly agile for someone who supposedly spends most of his time in the office, the workshop, or some PR event or the other.

"You'll never catch me, Avengers!" he roars at the kids.

"You can't escape us!" a girl with pigtails counters. To Steve's delight, she's holding an empty disposable plate like Steve might hold his shield, ready to throw. "I am Captain America and my Avengers will stop you! Yield!"

"Never!" Tony repeats. "Do your worst!"

"Avengers! Get him!" the girl who's playing Cap shouts, pointing a hand at Tony. Following her command, the kids crowd up on him all at once, tackling his legs.

"Noo!" Tony groans in mock horror. "You caught me! Oh no, I can't resist you, I'm going to fall!"

Tony drops to his knees and topples backwards in a controlled manner, making sure not to squish any of the children clinging to him. They end up in a pile on the ground, four kids on top, pinning Tony down. Two of them still seem to be holding on to their roles, all grim, but the other two break out chuckling, Sam's niece one of them. Tony grins at the kids, seemingly unconcerned that he's now lying in the grass and mud, designer suit and all.

That is, Tony seems unconcerned until he suddenly sits up and groans, "Ow, shit. Ouch."

The kids scatter away from him. Steve isn't sure whether their shocked appearances are because of the sudden movement, worry that they might've hurt Tony, or the fact that he just said a 'bad word'.

"Sorry! What did we do?" the girl who was Cap asks him, sounding much more timid.

Tony slaps his neck with a hand as if to swat a bug, then presses it over the spot. "No, no, wasn't you. Damn it. I think something bit me."

Sam and Steve move over to his side. From the corner of his eye, Steve sees that the other Avengers have also noticed the commotion and are approaching them.

Sam reaches to pull Tony's hand away so they can take a look at the bite. It's impossible to miss: there's a raised patch of pale skin on his neck, with a darker red dot in the middle.

"Looks like a bee sting to me. I don't see a stinger, though," Sam notes. "Maybe you already dislodged it."

"Well I certainly got rid of some kind of a bug. Pretty sure it wasn't the Wasp," Tony says, and coughs.

"What's wrong with him, Uncle Sam?" Mattie asks, while another kid aims his question at Steve: "Is he gonna be all right, Cap?"

"Just a bee sting," Sam says soothingly. "Feels nasty, but he'll be fine."

Mattie takes a few steps closer, frowning at Tony. "But he doesn't sound fine," she says, which is when Steve realizes Tony's breathing has taken on a disturbingly wheezy note.

"Don't really feel fine, either," Tony says shakily, one of his hands reaching for his collar. Mattie backs away from him while Steve kneels by his side and helps him loosen his tie. It looks like Tony's neck is starting to swell, with angry red spreading out from the sting, the fabric of his collar tight against his skin. Steve tries to start opening the top buttons, but Tony bats his hand away.

In the background, he hears Mattie call out, "Mom! Mom, give me your bag."

Out of all the Avengers, Thor isn't the one Steve would've expected to rush to the rescue in a first-aid situation, but suddenly, he's there, on one knee in front of Tony. "Stark. Is this your first encounter with a bee?" he asks, an uncharacteristically shrewd look on his face.

"No," Tony says, a forceful word between gasps. "Was never like this before. Not allergic."

"It could be a new development," Thor says.

"We don't even know for sure that it was a bee," Steve points out. Even if it's the obvious explanation, it doesn't mean it's the only one. They didn't see the culprit, or even its stinger. "Wasp, find whatever stung him. Ant-Man, call 911, just in case."

"Will do, Cap!" the Wasp acknowledges, and shrinks away to start searching the ground for the bug. Ant-Man, as asked, raises his phone to his ear to make the call.

Before Thor has time to go on with his questions, Mattie reappears, now holding some kind of a plastic stick with yellow labels on it. She shouts "Watch out!" in a tone that's easily as commanding as Steve on the battlefield. Even Thor leans back to give her space as she dives to Tony's side, and stabs him in the thigh with the thing she's holding.

Tony's eyes go wide at the contact, and he flails a hand in her direction, which she easily dodges.

"You—you didn't just—ahh," Tony sputters. It looks like he's suddenly gone a shade paler. He presses one hand against his chest, his lips twisting into a pained grimace.

"What was that?" Steve asks, baffled and uncomprehending.

"That's epinephrine. Adrenaline, if you're more familiar with that word?" Sam explains. "Helps with this kind of severe allergic reaction."

Thor has grabbed hold of Tony's wrist, two fingers on the pulse point, and his expression is even more focused than before. "There are certain rumors regarding your heart. Is there any truth to them?" he asks.

There's something wrong with Tony's heart? Steve doesn't pay much attention to rumors, especially since the little he has heard about Tony is often not very nice. This particular thing he definitely hasn't heard about, and he feels like he should've—especially if it's widely known enough that Thor is aware of it.

"Yeah," Tony confirms. "Adrenaline shot: not the best thing for me. Much as I like things that go fast, this is _too_ fast."

"Did I do something wrong?" Mattie asks in a small, wavering voice.

Sam hurries to crouch next to her, wrapping his arms around her. "No, no, you did good. It's okay."

"Your breathing has grown easier, has it not?" Thor asks Tony, not averting his gaze from him for one second.

As if to test that, Tony takes a deep breath, and nods. "Yeah. Just not sure the old ticker can take this." The words may be joking, but he looks genuinely frightened now, and Steve can't really blame him.

"The ambulance should be here any second," Ant-Man remarks from the background.

"Good. I do think the injection was the right call. If I had not, I would have stopped the child. The benefit outweighs the risks," Thor says, sounding a lot like he's someone with credentials making a medical judgement.

Sam casts a suspicious glance at Thor. "Since when are you an expert?"

"I find it important to know how to aid my mortal friends, as you tend to be so much more fragile than Asgardians," Thor declares.

Not a moment too soon, Steve hears the sound of approaching sirens. Tony's swaying a little, as if sitting upright is too much to ask, and he's still not breathing normally, even if it's less wheezy.

"Thor. Cap," Tony says. "I need a favor. If I pass out." He looks down at himself, and draws his right hand back from Thor's hold, so he can use both hands to open a few buttons halfway down his shirt front. "Give this to the paramedics. Tell them to plug it in. Any regular outlet will do." He pulls out some kind of a power cord, and offers it to Steve.

Steve thinks he can see a glint of red metal beneath Tony's shirt. _Iron Man?_ he thinks instantly, though it can't be, can it? Even more baffled than before, he accepts the cord. "Tony—what?" he blurts out, failing to put a coherent sentence together.

"I can trust you, can't I, Cap?" Tony says, his eyes locking with Steve's. There's despair in that look, and something else that Steve can't quite name.

"Of course you can," Steve promises.

"Thanks," Tony says, then sags sideways, like he's spent all his remaining energy on this request. Steve catches hold of his upper arm and helps him settle on the ground.

Fortunately, it only takes a few more minutes for the paramedics reach them. By that time, Tony seems half-conscious at best, so Steve does as he asked and hands the mysterious power cord to them. They seem as confused as Steve feels, but when he tells them to plug it in, and emphasizes that this is important, they shrug and accept it. There are some perks to being in full costume—people do tend to listen to Captain America's orders.

The paramedics are halfway towards the ambulance with the stretcher, Steve hovering close by, when the Wasp suddenly emerges by his side, full-sized.

"It wasn't a bee," she tells him urgently. She's holding out her hand, and on her palm rests what, in spite of her words, looks very much like a bee to Steve. "It's not even an insect, when you look at it closely," she goes on. "I think it's a tiny robot, or something like that."

"A… robo-bee? Bee-bot? We need to find out more about it!" Ant-Man exclaims, peering at the thing curiously.

"So it could be that it wasn't allergies, but he was poisoned?" Steve asks to be sure.

"I'd say that's a definite possibility," Ant-Man says. "Come on, Wasp! Let's head home to take this thing apart."

"You do that, and be sure to let us know if you learn anything that could help. I'll be in the hospital to keep an eye on the situation," Steve orders. "I think we’d better call off the party, too. Thor, stay here and make sure everyone gets home safe."

–

Sam gives Steve a ride to the hospital. Sam's sister, concern evident on her face, comes with them, together with a teary-eyed Mattie. Steve joins Sam and Sarah in reassuring her that she did the right thing; they didn't know what was going on, and that injection actually helped, so she may well have saved Tony's life. They've sat at the hospital's waiting area for almost an hour when Ant-Man calls Steve and confirms that she definitely did the right thing.

"It's not a bee, but we caught traces of the chemicals it carried, and it seems to be a cocktail that'd send anyone into anaphylactic shock," he explains, sounding quite impressed by this. "The good news is, it means the best treatment is also similar. Obviously, the bad news is that whoever sent it is up to something nefarious, and needs to be stopped. We're trying to figure out how to get at them, now."

"Good work, High-pockets!" Steve says. "Keep it up."

After hurriedly conveying these news to the medical personnel, Steve proceeds to tell Mattie. She's focused on reading some magazine or the other, her face still downcast, but she looks up when Steve sits down next to her.

"You know what? My friend just called and said that what you did was exactly what needed to be done," Steve says.

Mattie's brows knit in a frown. "Really?"

"Yes. You did good."

Steve wants to tell her that Tony will thank her later, say that she saved his life, and considers hugging her, but he worries it might be premature; they don't know for sure that Tony will be all right. He tries not to think of the other alternative, but nevertheless decides it's better to leave further compliments until later, just in case.

"How did she even know what to do?" Steve asks Sam a little later, when Mattie has left to visit the cafeteria with her mum.

"The EpiPen she used was one of her own, actually. She's allergic to peanuts," Sam explains.

"But she's okay? All healthy?" Steve checks.

"She knows to be careful, bright young one that she is," Sam says, with a fond smile. "Hasn't had any problems in years."

"I'm glad to hear that," Steve says.

He can't help thinking that one of those not-bees could've just as easily attacked her, or any other child at the party. The Avengers need to get to the bottom of this. Was the bee-bot targeting Tony, or was it just bad luck that he got stung?

During the rest of their wait, Steve's thoughts keep going in circles from Tony to Iron Man, and that metal he saw under Tony's shirt. It was only a quick glimpse, but it looked so very familiar. No to mention the numerous times he's seen Iron Man recharge his armor with a power cord just like the one Tony gave him.

Could Tony be Iron Man? It's not as if Steve hasn't considered the possibility before, seeing as the two rarely show up anywhere together. Tony's technical genius certainly matches up. Iron Man has always been talented at that sort of thing. Tony seems to have the right build to wear that armor, too. As for the personality, Steve isn't entirely sure. He doesn't know Tony all that well, and has just gone around assuming he's the sort of carefree playboy he's generally described as. If Tony really is Iron Man, then there's much more depth to him than Steve could possibly have guessed.

If it should turn out that Steve isn't wildly wrong with this, the next question is, how does he feel about it, after months of thinking he has a crush on Iron Man? If Iron Man is also Tony—he finds the idea intriguing, but it also makes it even less likely that Steve's feelings will ever be returned.

After another full hour of worried waiting, a doctor finally shows up to let them know that Tony should be all right. They want to admit him for overnight observation, but he seems to have pulled through the episode without any lasting consequences. The doctor doesn't give any details beyond that, declaring that if Mr. Stark wants to tell them, it's up to him.

Steve is the first visitor to step into Tony's room. Tony doesn't look great; his face is puffy, and an ugly rash has wrapped itself around his throat, almost as if someone had strangled him. He's hooked up to IVs and oxygen, and there are a number of wires snaking down his neckline, some of which must be for the heart monitor; Steve isn't sure if one might be that power cord from earlier. The hospital gown Tony's wearing covers his chest all the way up, so Steve can't see if the metal plate he glimpsed is still in place.

Steve has so many questions, but those will have to wait, because he's not the only one who wants to see Tony.

"Hi, Cap," Tony greets him before he gets a word out, even offering him a small smile.

"Hi," Steve replies. "You gave us quite a scare."

"Bet you weren't half as scared as me," Tony says. "Is the girl okay?"

The question takes Steve by surprise, but then, considering how attentive Tony was with the kids, of course he would think about Mattie. He probably feels guilty for the way he reacted when she gave him the shot, worried that she thinks she hurt him, or did something wrong.

"She will be when she sees you're okay. Do you feel up to meeting her right now?" Steve asks. First things first.

"Of course! I'd love to," Tony says.

Steve calls the others in, and as soon as Mattie steps into the room, Tony gestures for her to come closer, giving her his most charming smile when she hesitates.

He shakes her hand solemnly, and tells her, "Thank you so much. You thought and acted much faster than the adults did. You saved my life. Today, you were the hero, not the Avengers."

For the first time since the party, Mattie smiles, too, her whole face lighting up. "I was a hero," she repeats. "Mum, did you hear what Mr. Stark said? I was a hero!"

"Well, he's only telling you the truth," Sarah comments from the door, and Sam accompanies her with nods and smiles.

"Sorry for ruining your party," Tony adds, his eyes on Sam and Sarah.

"Hey, no, none of that, Mr. Stark. It's not like you wanted this to happen." Sam waves a placating hand at him. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Tony pulls a face. "I still feel a little guilty. You had to call it off, didn't you? The whole thing?"

"I called it off," Steve says. "Had to be done."

"There will be other parties," Sam says reassuringly.

"Tell you what," Tony says, his expression turning more cheerful again. "There will definitely be other parties. I'll organize one at the Mansion, to make up for this one getting cut short. We'll invite everyone there."

"Mr. Stark, really, you don't need to—" Sarah begins.

"Would you like that, Mattie? The Avengers could all be there, too. Even Iron Man," Tony goes on.

"Yesss!" Mattie exclaims, delighted. "That's gonna be the awesomest party ever!"

"That's settled, then!" Tony says happily.

"Before you get too wrapped up in organizing it, we have Avengers matters to deal with," Steve points out. He doesn't want to be a spoilsport, but he's not sure Tony even knows what the situation is, and he needs to be brought up to date.

Sam seems to catch his drift. "I think we should give you some time alone to sort those out," he suggests.

Sam guides Sarah and Mattie out of the room, and then it's just Steve and Tony again. The cheerful mood has vanished with the others, leaving tension and worry. Steve's not even sure where to start. He considers pulling up a chair, but he's really too worked up to sit down. Instead, he just paces around Tony's bed, trying to put his thoughts together.

"Avengers matters?" Tony prompts.

Steve stops at the foot of the bed, resting his hands on the footboard. "Yes. Did the doctors tell you it wasn't actually a bee sting?"

"They mentioned something like that. I didn't really catch the details. I was sort of too busy trying to not die," Tony says.

"It was a mechanical thing that looked like a bee. Ant-Man said the poison it carried would have caused this kind of a reaction in anyone," Steve says.

Tony's eyes narrow. "So, it was a deliberate attack. A bee-sized killer bot."

"Exactly." Steve's fingers clench around the plastic.

"A perfect tool for a stealthy assassin. Everyone would just assume it was a regular bee sting." Tony sounds as appalled as Steve feels.

"Imagine if there had been more than the one at the party," Steve says. "They could've attacked the children."

"I wouldn't be entirely surprised if this one was sent specifically to target me. I have enough enemies," Tony says thoughtfully, his hand on his chin. "But I doubt whoever built it stopped at one. We need to catch them before someone else gets hurt."

"We?" Steve asks.

Tony shrugs and rolls his eyes. "All right, if you must nitpick. Not we, you. The Avengers. I obviously won't do any catching. I'll just lie here and write your paychecks."

Steve looks at Tony's face closely as he speaks, trying to spot any nuance, any trace that Tony might not be telling the truth, but he's no mind reader. Did Tony say "we" because he’d thought of joining in as Iron Man? Is he speaking a little too fast, like he's trying to cover a slip-up? It might just as easily be that he's annoyed at being reminded of his shortcomings.

Really, there's only one way to get an answer to the mystery that Steve can't stop thinking about.

He lets go of the footboard and walks to stand by Tony's head, his arms crossed. "Tony, you'll probably think this is ridiculous, but I've got to ask," he begins, draws a deep breath, and says it. "Are you Iron Man?"

Tony's eyes go wide, his face incredulous. He shakes his head, laughs, then coughs—and then it doesn't stop. He lapses into a proper coughing fit that sounds terrible, breathless and wheezy, and seems to go on for ages, his face starting to turn blotchy with the lack of air. Just as Steve's about to head out of the room to call for help, Tony waves his hand in a vague gesture to signal that he's all right.

"It's okay, I'm okay," Tony finally manages, sounding choked. "Sorry about that. Seriously, though, Cap? Me? Iron Man?" He shakes his head again, smirking, as if he's heard the best joke ever. The effect is kind of odd, considering how unhealthy he looks. "That's very funny. If only. I wouldn't last an hour in that armor."

"But that power cord—and you were wearing some kind of a metal plate," Steve tries.

"I was, and I still am, if you must know." Tony crosses his arms across his chest. He clearly has no intention of actually showing it to Steve. "I can only take it off for short amounts of time. It's for my heart. Can't survive without it. I can see why it might've reminded you of Iron Man. I did design both, so there are some superficial similarities."

That does make sense, now that he says it, and yet Steve isn't entirely convinced. Isn't that exactly what Tony would say if he wanted to hide the truth? And if he's Iron Man in spite of a heart condition, Steve can imagine Tony wouldn't want anyone to know, even if that's the kind of information his team should have. Then again, maybe Tony really is telling the truth, and Steve's just too infatuated with the idea that the man he has a crush on could also be a handsome genius billionaire.

"Look, Tony," he says, intent on convincing Tony that there's no need for him to keep the truth from Steve. Of course, at that exact moment, his phone rings. It's Ant-Man, so he picks up right away.

"Cap! I fixed it!" Ant-Man exclaims excitedly. "I fixed it and I think it wants to fly home!"

"Slow down! You fixed what? The bee-bot?" Steve checks.

"Yes. It was completely inert after Mr. Stark swatted at it, but now it's back in action. We have it in a jar. It seems to be set on flying in a specific direction. I expect that to be its home base. Nest, even."

"And if it wants to fly back to base, then…" Steve starts.

"All we need to do is follow it," Ant-Man finishes.

"It could be a trap," Steve says.

"Or a design feature," Ant-Man says. "Either way, if we want to catch whoever built it, here's our chance."

As long as they're careful, they can sort this out. There's Avenging to do. "Right. I'll be there in a blink," Steve finishes the call.

"You're going after it," Tony states, clearly having caught the gist of the conversation.

"We are. We'll get whoever did this to you," Steve says. "And stop them from harming anyone else."

"I'll call Iron Man and ask him to join you, if he's back from his mission," Tony says.

If Iron Man isn't Tony, that's a great idea; he's an important part of the team. But if he is—Tony needs to stay where he is. He's in no shape for fighting villains, armor or not. The thought of him leaving his bed and putting himself in danger makes Steve's chest constrict with worry.

Steve fixes Tony's eyes with a steady look. "All right, but if he's otherwise occupied, we can manage without him."

"I'll tell him you said that." Tony returns Steve's gaze without batting an eyelid.

If Tony is lying, his poker face is impeccable, Steve thinks as he steps out of the room.

–

Steve asks Sam to stay behind to deal with the clean-up of the party, and hurries to the Mansion himself. There, the Avengers hold a quick meeting with the bee-bot buzzing insistently in its glass jar. They briefly consider placing a tracker on it, but they don't have one on hand that's small enough, and Steve doesn't want to ask Tony for help when he really should be resting. Instead, they decide the most straight-forward way to go about it is to release the bot and have the Wasp and Ant-Man follow it. The two insect-sized Avengers should be able to keep up with it easily enough.

Before they set out, Ant-Man hands out cans of a special bug spray he's whipped up. "This should stop any mechanical lookalikes, but won't harm actual bees," he clarifies. "Poor things face enough troubles as it is."

Ready to go, they step out the front door and lift the lid off the jar. The bee-bot whirls away at a speed that, to Steve, seems faster than that of a real bee. Ant-Man and the Wasp zoom after it, a barely visible blur. Thor and Steve stay as they are, standing at the gates and waiting for directions. They're still there when Iron Man emerges from the blue skies above and lands next to them.

"Cap, Thor, sorry I'm late! What's the situation?" Iron Man asks, his metallic voice revealing no emotion.

"You have heard of Tony Stark's predicament, I assume?" Thor returns.

"Yeah, he told me on the phone. Terrible business. I'll pay him a visit later. For now, I thought it more important to join you," Iron Man says. "We need to put the bad guys behind bars. Everything else can wait."

"Indeed!" Thor agrees.

"Ant-Man and the Wasp are following the culprit right now. They'll tell us where to go when they've got news," Steve says.

"The Wasp and the Ant going after the Bee. Sounds about right," Iron Man jokes.

"Speaking of going after bees," Steve says. He detaches one of the two spray cans from his belt, and offers it to Iron Man. "Ant-Man gave us these to fight them."

Iron Man holds up a hand to decline it. "No thanks, I'm good. I have plenty of weapons of my own that should work against tiny robots."

Steve can't help staring at Iron Man, desperate to catch some detail or other that'd give away if he might, in fact, be talking to Tony, or if this really is someone else. As far as he can tell, Iron Man seems his usual self, as intriguing as ever in his form-fitting armor. Steve certainly can't spot any sign of him being unwell, and maybe that's proof enough. He remembers how sick Tony looked in the hospital, only a few hours ago. It's difficult to picture him leaping up and running out as if nothing's bothering him.

He tries to convince himself he's not disappointed if Iron Man isn't Tony. He liked that idea; he kind of wanted it to be true. Then again, if it's not, that means Tony is safe. Besides, he still likes Iron Man, even if Iron Man isn't Tony, doesn't he? Earlier today, he definitely did. Now, it's almost as he's fallen for Tony as well—or did he just fall for the idea of Tony being Iron Man? He's incredibly confused about how he actually feels. If only he could see Iron Man without that mask and know for sure, once and for all.

After less than fifteen minutes, the Wasp speaks up on the radio. "We think we've found them. We're looking at a rooftop garden in Greenpoint. The bee-bot stopped here and disappeared into a hive."

"Well, they sure have some nerve," Iron Man notes. "Hiding their murderous bee bot operation in an actual apiary right under our noses."

"Do you see any people there?" Steve asks.

"Just two, they're wearing some kind of beekeeper suits," the Wasp replies. "What should we do?"

"Stay out of sight, keep an eye on them. We'll be right there," Steve says.

"Need a lift, Cap?" Iron Man asks.

Steve can't help the little shiver of excitement that runs through him at the question. He does always love flying with Iron Man. He tries to keep his voice casual as he answers, "I'd appreciate it."

They take off, Steve holding onto Iron Man, Thor propelled by his hammer. After a few exhilarating minutes of air rushing past Steve's face—all too short a trip to his liking—they reach the location the others described. They land on the roof of the next building to take a better look.

The rooftop garden is like a little oasis in the middle of concrete, with neat rows of green, even some flowers, and several beehives in the middle. It's difficult to visualise such an idyllic spot as a villain's lair.

"Are we sure this is the right place?" Iron Man asks over the radio.

"That bee-bot took the straightest possible route here, and this isn't even the closest apiary to the Mansion. Can't possibly be a coincidence," Ant-Man replies, from wherever he is, too small to be visible from this distance.

"I suppose we'll find out when we approach," Steve says.

The three normal-sized Avengers cross the gap between buildings each in their own way, Iron Man and Thor flying, Steve leaping over easily. There are two people in bright yellow beekeeper outfits standing at the far end of the garden, close to a door that must lead down from the rooftop.

"Hello there," Steve shouts at them as soon as his feet hit the ground. If there's some kind of a mistake and these aren't villains, there's no reason to go in guns blazing.

"Avengers!" one of the beekeepers shouts, his voice high-pitched with surprise.

"Shit!" the other beekeeper, a woman, swears. "Activate defense mode!"

The first beekeeper grabs some kind of a remote control from his belt.

"Put that down! Now!" Iron Man shouts, flying towards the two figures with his repulsors aimed.

The beekeeper drops the remote, but clearly he already managed to press a button, because all of a sudden, a swarm of bees emerges from the hives, spreading out like a dark, buzzing cloud, splitting up to target each of the three full-sized Avengers.

Steve, feeling rather silly, picks up one of the spray cans Ant-Man handed him earlier, and takes a defensive stance with that in one hand, his shield in the other.

This is one of the strangest fights he's ever taken part in, and that's saying a lot, considering the cavalcade of villains he's faced. At first, the spray seems to be working as promised, and the bees drop like—well, flies, or bees, when hit. But there are so many, and they just keep coming, so fast and agile that it's not easy to avoid them. Steve tries his best to keep them at a distance, so they won't reach the uncovered skin of his face. He's not sure if the serum would protect him from the effects of their sting, and he doesn't want to find out. He keeps imagining he can feel something crawl on his skin, but every time he brushes a hand over it, there's nothing there; just his mind playing tricks.

He's starting to wonder how many of these things there can be, but then he realizes that there actually aren't new bees showing up. The ones he already took out are shaking off the effects of the spray, and returning to buzz angrily at him. He tries to step on the ones that are on the ground, and swats at the ones in the air with his shield. It doesn't seem to be enough.

He needs a better strategy, and is racking his brain to come up with one, when Iron Man appears in front of him, and aims his repulsors at the bees. Steve leaps to the side to get out of the firing line, but it turns out to be an unnecessary precaution: he doesn't really see or feel the blast, but all of the bees suddenly stop dead in the air and tumble down, sparks flickering around them.

"You're welcome," Iron Man tells him cheekily before he gets a word out.

As he looks around, Steve sees the air is entirely clear of bee-bots. Wasp and Ant-Man are back to regular size, and they and Thor are standing close to the door, with the beekeepers tied down. Steve and Iron Man walk over to join them.

"I told you we should pick a lower-profile target first," the female beekeeper mutters at her colleague. "But no, you insisted on Stark and here we are. Finished."

"If we'd gotten him, the board would've been convinced we haven't been wasting resources," the male beekeeper replies sullenly.

"Well, you didn't get him," Steve tells them sternly. "What board? Who do you work for? Are there more of you here?"

"Not telling you," the female beekeeper declares.

"You can tell the police, then," Steve says. It's not really the Avengers' job to interrogate anyone. However, it's their job to be certain that the place is secure and that there are no more bee-bots or beekeepers about. "Thor, Wasp, call the police and keep an eye on these two," Steve commands. "Ant-Man, Iron Man, with me. Let's go see what's inside."

The door leading into the building isn't even locked. The three Avengers hurry down the stairs, and find themselves in one large room that spans the entire floor. It's set up as a what looks like a sophisticated laboratory to Steve, all glass and metal and computer screens. There's no sign of movement.

"Seems empty," Steve notes under his breath. "Anyone here? Show yourselves!" he shouts, but no one does.

"If there was anyone here, they've probably fled already," Ant-Man comments.

"Probably," Steve agrees. "Make sure the place is secure, and see what you can find out."

One corner of the lab seems to be dedicated to chemical or biological research, with microscopes, test tubes and bottles of liquids, as well as several terrariums with insects. Ant-Man, predictably, heads in that direction. Another area looks more tech-oriented, with computers and other machinery, and that's where Iron Man goes first.

"Definitely fled," Iron Man says, lifting a mug from next to a keyboard. "And not long ago. Coffee's still lukewarm." He sits down on the office chair at the workstation, and starts typing away. Ant-Man seems equally busy on the other side of the room, turning over laboratory implements in his hands.

Steve isn't half as useful at this kind of thing as the two others, but he does what he can, surveying the room, looking for any hidden hazards. What instantly catches his attention is the pile of crumpled yellow fabric close to the door that leads into the main staircase of the building. He pushes at it with his toes, and quickly finds out he's looking at two more of the beekeeper suits the villains are wearing.

"There were at least two others," Steve tells everyone on the radio. "They seem to have fled and discarded their costumes. No point trying to run after them, we'd have no way to recognize them."

He goes on with his inspection of the premises, but doesn't come up with any obvious clues as to who these mysterious evil beekeepers are, or what their plans might be, other than attempting to murder Tony. He stops by Ant-Man's shoulder to see if he's having more luck.

"Anything?" Steve asks.

Ant-Man is leafing through a lab notebook, with calculations and graphs and pictures that don't mean anything to Steve. "Well, I can tell this is where they did their research for the bee-bots, and that they've got solid skills in biochemistry," Ant-Man summarizes. "Equipment seems state of the art, too. I haven't found any names. I did find a few references to something called A.I.M. That could be who was funding them."

"I wonder what that stands for," Steve says thoughtfully. "Maybe there are more clues to be found. Let's keep on looking, at least until the police get here."

Iron Man has been quiet and focused on his work at the computer. As Steve starts walking towards him, he hears Iron Man make a weird, muffled sound.

"Iron Man?" Steve calls out to him.

The sound is repeated, and Steve realizes it's like Iron Man is trying to clear his throat, distorted because of the armor. Iron Man stands up, one hand on the back of the chair. He's wavering on his feet.

"You all right there, Shellhead?" Steve tries again.

"Armor glitch," Iron Man says, his voice hoarse. "Need to go."

He heads towards the closest window, but doesn't make it more than five steps before he drops on one knee. Steve's by his side in an instant. Even through the armor, it's obvious Iron Man is having trouble catching his breath, and that unhealthy wheeze is clearly not some metallic echo. It sounds all too familiar.

As Steve takes hold of Iron Man's arms to steady him, their eyes meet—and Steve has seen that same panicked look in those very same blue eyes mere hours ago.

Steve was right all along, and Tony was lying to him. As concerned as he is, that thought comes with a flare of anger.

Ant-Man has crossed the room as well, hovering behind Steve, clearly as alarmed as he is. "Iron Man? Were you stung?" he asks.

"Yes, he was," Steve says. There's no longer any doubt in his mind about this. "Earlier today, at a party. Weren't you, Mr. Stark?"

There's no word of reply from Iron Man, but he reaches out with both hands to pull off his helmet, revealing the face Steve knew to expect.

Tony looks terrible: worse than he has at any point during the day, at the party or in the hospital. His face has lost all color, and there's a bluish tinge to his lips. He must've been trying to hide how bad he was feeling for some time.

"Sorry," Tony croaks between gasps that seem so desperate, he can't be getting much oxygen in. God, he's suffocating right in front of Steve!

"Oh. Stark. I had no idea," Ant-Man mutters, stupefied. "Wait, I can help!" He reaches for the pouches at his belt.

Before Ant-Man has time to do anything, Tony's eyes roll back into his head and he slumps backwards. Steve catches hold of him and sets him gently on the floor. He's gone perfectly still, no longer struggling for air, and Steve fears rescue breathing won't do much good if his airways are swollen shut.

Ant-Man has produced an epinephrine injector from his pocket, just like the one Sam's niece used earlier. He places one hand on Tony's armored thigh and shakes his head in frustration. "Damn it! The needle's not going to pass through the metal," he groans.

"We need to get the armor off, then," Steve says, doing his best to keep his cool. A child sorted this out before. They can do it again. They have to. He shakes Tony roughly by the shoulders. "Tony! Tony, wake up!" he shouts, but there's no reply. Tony's eyes stay closed.

Panic is starting to claw at Steve's throat, almost as if it's closing off, too, his breath growing short. "Can't you inject it into his neck?" he suggests.

"I really don't want to," Ant-Man says. He takes hold of Tony's chin, tilting his head to the side. Tony's neck is bare all the way to the red metal of his collar, but Ant-Man shakes his head. "It might work, but it needs to go into a muscle. I'm no specialist in human anatomy. If I hit a blood vessel instead, it could be really bad."

"Less bad than not breathing at all," Steve says. He runs his hand along Tony's thigh, over the smooth, impenetrable metal. He always wanted to know how it'd feel like to touch it, but not like this. Just like he always wanted to know who Iron Man is, but _not like this_. This is all wrong. He can't lose both Tony _and_ Iron Man!

Tony is clearly able to change in and out of the armor rapidly, considering how often Steve has seen him and Iron Man just minutes apart from each other. It can't be that complicated. Steve feels around for the seam where the gold joins the red of the groin plates, and all of a sudden, the golden metal turns soft, like fabric.

"You did it!" Ant-Man exclaims.

His hand shaking almost overwhelming relief, Steve peels back the armor, revealing nothing but bare skin underneath. Tony must've pulled the armor on in the hospital room, not wearing much to begin with. Goddamn him, what was he thinking, running out like this? He was asking for trouble, deliberately putting himself in serious danger. They could have handled this mission without him!

Ant-Man jabs the epinephrine into Tony's thigh as soon as Steve's hands are out of the way, and massages the injection site for several seconds afterwards.

Steve turns his attention to Tony's face, and grabs hold of his shoulders again. "Come on, Tony. Iron Man. Breathe," he coaxes.

After a few terribly long seconds, Tony blinks, heaves in a deep breath, coughs a few times, and keeps breathing, thank God. It still sounds raspy and strained. Steve pulls him onto his lap, hoping the position will help with that. Certainly not at all because he was terrified of losing his friend and craves for closeness.

"Tony? You back with us?" Steve asks him cautiously.

"God I hate this," Tony groans, the annoyed tone so normal that it soothes Steve's frayed nerves ever so slightly.

"I told you to stay in the hospital," Steve scolds him, brushing hair off his forehead. Steve is still angry about that, and he'd like to add a few harsh words about how they could've avoided this entirely, but he's also so relieved that he wants to kiss Tony right there and then.

"How do you feel?" Ant-Man speaks up from where he's still sitting, by Tony's feet.

Tony lets out a tired, breathless chuckle. "Like my heart's gonna burst, and lungs already did. Ow."

Steve slips one hand to Tony's throat, trying to avoid the worst of the rash as he feels for a pulse. It flutters against his fingers, so fast he can barely tell apart the beats. His concern doubles instantly; Tony clearly isn't out of trouble yet.

"We need to get him back to the hospital right now," Ant-Man says urgently. "The epi doesn't stop the reaction, just staves it off."

"Right, yes," Steve says. He should've done this earlier, called for help, but he was too close to panic to think rationally. "Thor!" he shouts on the team channel. "Get down here. Iron Man is hurt, and needs immediate transport. You're the fastest."

"Very well," Thor replies. He's only just said it when Steve hears the door open and the sound of heavy footsteps in the stairway.

"No, Cap, wait," Tony stammers. "I can't—my identity—" He actually shrinks back, pressing himself closer to Steve as Thor approaches them.

"Worry not, Iron Man. I will make sure no one learns who you are," Thor announces. If he's the least bit surprised to see Tony wearing the armor, he doesn't show it. Maybe he'd already guessed it, just as Steve had.

Without further comment, Thor scoops Tony up in his arms, breaks the nearest window with his hammer, and flies away.

Suddenly, the room around them feels very empty and quiet.

"So. Stark, huh," Ant-Man mutters, obviously dumbfounded.

"Yeah. Tony Stark. Damn him," Steve curses.

He's no longer unsure about what he feels; after what happened, it's plain as day. Tony Stark is Iron Man, and Steve is more in love with the man who is both than he's ever been with Iron Man. It's not just a crush, but something much deeper. It's downright painful to think that Tony's fighting for his life, that he almost died because he was so set on keeping his secrets, and Steve failed to convince him he didn't need to. Steve wishes he could've gone with Tony and Thor. Now, all he can do is pray and hope that Tony will pull through.

–

For the second time within the day, Steve finds himself in the hospital waiting area. This time, he's not with Sam and his family, but alone. He also doesn't need to wait for quite as long as last time before he's approached by an unexpectedly familiar doctor.

"Dr. Blake! I didn't know you worked here," Steve greets the slim, blond man in a lab coat.

"I sometimes consult in places other than my own practice, and this is something of a special case," Dr. Blake replies in a conspiratorial voice.

This must've been Thor's way of making sure Tony's identity remains safe. Steve knows Dr. Blake is a friend of Thor's, one that he trusts implicitly. He tries to read the doctor's expression for clues on how Tony's doing, but it's perfectly neutral, revealing nothing at all. 

"Is Tony all right?" Steve asks.

"He will be, if he behaves like a sensible person and stays in bed," Dr. Blake replies.

"Was that why he got so sick again? Because he got up too soon?"

"Not exactly. He suffered a biphasic reaction," Dr. Blake explains. "That's when the symptoms of anaphylaxis recur within hours of the initial episode. The mechanism is still a bit of a medical mystery, so it might've happened even if he had been here and resting. Of course, in that case, it would've been caught sooner, and stopped before it got so severe."

"I'm going to make sure he stays in bed this time," Steve declares.

"You and me both, Captain," Dr. Blake says, his smile clashing with the deeply determined look in his eyes. "Thor made me swear I wouldn't let him out until twelve hours have passed, and I'll see to it. I wouldn't want to face his wrath."

"No, you definitely wouldn't," Steve agrees. "Good. Can I see him now?"

"Yes, but try not to upset him," Dr. Blake replies, his face entirely serious again. "Stabilizing him after the episode was quite the balancing act. He should take it easy for the next couple of days."

Dr. Blake speaks as if he can guess Steve's need to have a few choice words with Tony. Considering that he's already seen Thor, he probably can.

Maybe it's a bad idea for Steve to visit Tony in the first place. As much as he wants to march into Tony's room, shake him by the shoulders and yell at him for putting himself at risk, and then grab him in a hug and tell him the truth about how he feels, that's exactly what he shouldn't do. He definitely doesn't want to set back Tony's recovery. He will leave the serious conversations for later, he decides. He'll just stop by and say "hi", that's all.

Of course, that's far easier said than done.

Earlier, when Steve stepped into Tony's hospital room, he received a smile as a greeting. This time, though the medical equipment mirrors the earlier arrangement, as if Tony had never even left his bed, his expression is completely different. He glances at Steve, then looks away, his face so desolate that clearly Steve has upset him simply by showing up. Every word of rebuke that Steve thought he should say is forgotten; he just wants to pull Tony into a hug and make him look less sad.

He really shouldn't have come at all. He should leave now. He hesitates at the doorstep.

"Let's get this over with then," Tony tells the wall he's facing, his voice flat. "Say it, Cap."

That takes Steve by surprise—of course, Tony would expect a telling-off for his actions, but his reaction seems way out of proportion. It's as if he's expecting Steve to tell him he's got a day left to live.

Steve can't just go and leave him like this. He walks over to Tony's bedside instead, and pulls up a chair for himself.

"Say what, exactly?" he asks, trying to keep his voice as non-confrontational as he can.

Tony turns to look at him, and Steve can't decide which he likes less, that earlier panicked look in Tony's eyes, or the current bottomless despair. "That you want me off the team," Tony says. "No need to try and be nice about it. I understand. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry I lied to you."

"What?" Steve says dumbly. "Sure, I'm not happy that you kept the truth from me, and I'm angry that you put yourself at risk, but I'm hardly mad enough to suggest that you quit!"

"Not because you're mad." Tony's frowning, despair shifting to confusion. "Because of my heart."

Steve frowns, too. Has he missed something? The doctors never gave him very much detail. Has this ordeal left Tony with some new injuries that make things worse for him? Should Steve be even more concerned than he already is? "But Dr. Blake said you should make a full recovery," he says cautiously.

Tony stares at him like he's spoken in a different language. "Do I have to spell it out for you? I'm never going to make a full recovery! Did you somehow miss the part where my heart’s a mess of shrapnel and scar tissue and I depend on the chestplate to stay alive? When I'm out there on a mission, if I run out of power, I'll die. If the plate is damaged, I'll die. Hell, even when it's working, there's the constant risk that it'll no longer be enough and I'll just keel over. I'm vulnerable. I'm a liability. See why I never told any of you?"

One thing's for sure: Steve has failed spectacularly at not upsetting Tony. He's definitely upset, breathing hard, face pale but for the flush of anger on his cheeks.

As for the rest, the truth is, this is the first time Tony has explained his situation to Steve in so many words, and he hadn't realized how dire it is. His gut reaction is that if being an Avenger is that dangerous for Tony, he shouldn't be out there. He should put his own health and safety first. But looking at him, it's obvious how much being Iron Man means to him. He's already made the decision; he's decided he wants to fight, and Steve understands. He can appreciate that. After all, it's the same choice he made himself, long ago. He'd never take that away from anyone. 

Steve pulls off his cowl, since he thinks he should face Tony properly for this. He takes Tony's hand between both of his. "I didn't miss that, Tony," he says, slowly, considering each word. "But please believe me, I'd never ask you to quit. You're a founding Avenger. I know you're able to handle the job just fine, regardless of your health issues. You're important to the team, and you're important to me. Iron Man has been my closest friend since I woke up from the ice, and now that I know it's you, I—I like you a lot, Tony," he confesses, his fingers squeezing Tony's.

Tony lets out a strangled gasp that really doesn't sound healthy. "Are you saying—you mean you—" he stammers. If anything, he seems even more upset, and not happy at all to hear this.

Crestfallen, Steve sighs and lets go of Tony's hand. "Sorry. That was out of line. I just want you to understand how much it means to me that you're on the team." He stands up. He knew this was a mistake. Why did he have to do it anyway? "I should probably go now."

"No, no, Steve, wait," Tony says, pleading. "Did you really mean it?"

Steve can't very well deny it now that he's already sad it. "Yes. Look, Tony, I don't want to make things awkward between us, so can we just…"

"No, we can't," Tony says firmly, looking Steve in the eye. "We absolutely can't, because I like you too."

Talk about pulling the rug from under your feet. Steve drops back into his chair, suddenly feeling light-headed. His heart is racing like someone just gave him one of those adrenaline shots. "You do?" he asks shakily.

Even if he might've hoped Iron Man could return his feelings someday, never in a million years would he have believed that Tony Stark would. And yet, here they are.

"Always have," Tony says. "Since the day we found you. If I hadn't decided that intimacy was something I was better off avoiding…" Tony's wistful voice trails off.

"Huh? All intimacy? Really? Why?" Steve may not follow rumors, but he does know Tony's reputation, and that really doesn't fit the picture at all.

"Isn't it obvious? Telling the person I'm dating that I'm Iron Man would put them in danger. Not sharing it would be lying. And then there's always my heart. Never mind that the chestplate isn't very practical in bed, just considering the life I lead, I can never know if I'll live to see the next day. Getting into a relationship wouldn't feel fair."

"So, say, if Iron Man had been at Sam's party and I had asked him out, you would've said no?" Steve checks.

"I would've hated doing it, but yes," Tony says, then pauses, and quirks an eyebrow at Steve. "You were planning on asking me out on a date?"

"Well, I didn't know it was you. I wanted to ask Iron Man out."

"And now that you do know, would you still do it?" Tony asks. It's a question that could easily be flirty, but he seems dead serious.

"I would," Steve says, without a moment's hesitation.

"You might want to think about that some more. I'm not an easy person to date," Tony says. "You may know I'm Iron Man, but it's still a secret from the world, and I intend to keep it that way."

"The world doesn't know my real name either," Steve reminds him. "I can deal with secret identities. The one thing I can't deal with is you trying to hide that you're dying!"

Tony grimaces. "I was wondering when we'd come to this. In my defense, I didn't realize I was, until it was already too late. I had no idea that I might get sick again like that. I thought I was past the worst of it."

"And if you had known about the risk, would you have stayed here?" Steve asks.

"Well, probably not," Tony admits with a shrug, all too casual about it to Steve's liking. "You didn't seem too sorry I was around when I stopped those bee-bots."

"We could've managed," Steve says, gritting his teeth and trying to hold back his renewed annoyance. This isn't at all where he meant for the conversation to go. "I'm not asking you to stop doing dangerous things. That's our job. Just, don't do them when it's not really necessary, okay? And next time, try to give me a heads-up before you're actually dead on your feet."

"Who's to decide when it's necessary?" Tony returns. "See, this is exactly why getting into a relationship with me isn't the smartest move."

During everything that's happened today, Steve hasn't stopped to consider what he actually wants. He never expected Tony to reciprocate his feelings, let alone in such strong words that Steve already feels like he must've imagined them. Since he never thought a relationship was something that could realistically happen, he hasn't thought what it'd be like to date a celebrity like Tony Stark, or how tricky it'd be to juggle a relationship where both sides have secret identities to protect—or how infuriating Tony's obvious disregard for his personal safety could get. Tony's probably right: it wouldn't be the smartest thing, and it certainly wouldn't be easy. Then again, good things often aren't.

"Maybe not," Steve tells Tony thoughtfully, "but you can't know for sure that it doesn't work if you never try. And I think I'd like to."

Tony's lips curl into a smile that somehow manages to be charming in spite of the rash, the swelling, and the oxygen cannula under his nose. "In that case, I've heard there's this party coming up in a couple of days, and Iron Man is going to be there. If you haven't changed your mind by then, you'll have another shot at asking him out!"

– – – – –

Steve has never seen the Mansion this full of people, nor has he ever seen Tony smile so much. It doesn't seem like a practiced PR smile either, but a genuinely happy one. Steve stands next to him, in full costume, as they greet Sam, Sarah, Mattie and Jody at the door. Even Jody seems somewhat impressed by the surroundings, and Mattie's grin is as wide as Steve has ever seen.

"You're all better now?" she asks Tony cautiously.

"Yes, thanks to you! Let's not tell the Avengers, but you really are my favorite hero," he tells her, with a wink. "Come on, I'll give you the guided tour!" He takes her hand to lead her deeper into the building, with Sarah and Jody following.

Sam lingers behind, with Steve. "Stark doesn't do anything by halves, huh," he remarks.

Tony has certainly spared no expense setting up the party, the Mansion decorated with countless balloons, flags and garlands, and mountains of food laid out on the tables.

"I think he's still blaming himself for what happened at your party," Steve says.

Sam frowns and shakes his head. "That's some messed-up reasoning. Not like he wanted to be the target of an assassination attempt! Any word on what was up with that, anyway?"

"Not that I know of," Steve says. "It's up to the police now. At least the evil beekeepers are in custody, and their lab has been taken down. They shouldn't cause any further trouble."

"That's good to know," Sam says. "I sure hope this party will be a little less exciting than mine."

"Yeah, you and me both," Steve agrees. He certainly hopes this one won't require ambulances and Avenging. On the other hand, he is expecting some excitement of a different kind.

Sam casts him a sideways glance, being way too perceptive as usual. "Hmm. Doesn't seem like Iron Man's around this time, either?"

Steve wants to tell Sam everything, to explain that Iron Man is right there, looking stunning in his tailored suit, currently introducing Mattie to Ant-Man and the Wasp. He can't, of course. He's promised to Tony that he can deal with the secret identities, and he will.

Over the week that's passed since Tony got out of the hospital, Steve has had plenty of time to think about what he wants. Tony's clearly, purposefully kept his distance from Steve, immersing himself in the party arrangements and sticking to brief, casual conversation whenever they've crossed paths. Tony was probably right to want him to take that extra time, too, so he won't be acting based on one emotional rollercoaster of a day. Still, thinking over all the potential problems hasn't made Steve change his mind.

"He's promised to show up later," he tells Sam.

"Good for you," Sam says, grinning.

For the time being, Steve is stuck waiting, unable to relax for the butterflies in his stomach. What if Tony has changed his mind? He seemed so set on dating being a bad idea, maybe he'll just turn Steve down. Every time Steve manages to catch his eye, he's all smiles, but that could just be because it's a very nice party, and he's clearly enjoying it just as much as the kids are.

Tony's gone to the trouble of making some kid-sized replicas of Avengers costumes and gear for the kids. They do a rerun of their "Avengers and villains" game from the earlier party, darting around tables and making Jarvis glare at them with disdain. The girl who was Captain America is now wearing a cowl and holding a miniature shield, while Mattie has, funnily enough, chosen a Wasp costume. In the end, Tony lets them take him down again. This time, there's nothing but giggles and grins when it happens.

A little later, Tony slips out of the room, and a few minutes after that, Iron Man appears at the door.

"Evening! What have I missed?" he asks a roomful of excited children. His gaze goes from the Avengers—Steve, Thor, Ant-Man and the Wasp in full costume—to the kids wearing Avengers regalia. "Oh no! Have the Avengers been duplicated? Duplicated and shrunk down?"

The little Avengers gather around Iron Man, and he grabs Mattie-as-Wasp on one arm and a kid wearing in a helmet just like his on the other. "Wasp. Iron Man. You're going to have to give me a full report. Clearly I'm out of the loop here."

Somehow, Steve imagined that when Iron Man showed up, he could finally make his move, but of course Iron Man is no less preoccupied than Tony was. There's a constant entourage of kids around him, and Steve doesn't want to pull him away from them. At one point, Sam actually elbows Steve and raises his eyebrows in question, and all Steve can do is shake his head.

Maybe he'd better wait until the party is over, Steve thinks. It won't last last all night. The parents will want to take their kids home before bedtime. So, Steve tries to focus on the rest of the fun, as difficult as that is.

What he fails to consider is that Tony might want to say bye to his guests without the armor. He almost misses it when Iron Man finally sneaks away, towards the stairs to the residential floors that are off-limits to guests. Unless Steve is reading his body language wrong, he seems kind of dispirited, hanging his head, his shoulders slightly hunched.

Steve hurries after him, and catches him in the empty hallway upstairs.

"Iron Man, wait!" Steve calls out.

Tony stops and turns to face him. "Winghead. What can I do for you?"

Steve isn't half as talented at this sort of thing as Tony is, but he's damned if he's not going to do his best. He walks up to Tony. "Well, I've been thinking," he begins, hoping his voice comes through as flirty and not as jittery as he feels, "if you'd maybe like to have dinner with me one of these days."

"I thought you'd never ask," Tony exclaims, the relief thick in his voice.

"I've been trying to get hold of you all evening!" Steve returns defensively.

"You can add that to the list of complications of dating me," Tony says. "I tend to be busy."

"But not too busy to work a date into your schedule, I hope?" Steve asks, because Tony still didn't actually say yes.

"Definitely not," Tony promises. "In fact, how about instead of dinner, we make it brunch tomorrow morning?"

"I'd love that," Steve replies.

"Good! I'll look forward to it," Tony says. His gauntleted hand finds its way to the small of Steve's back, and that touch alone is enough to send a shiver through his spine. "Right now, though, there are guests waiting, and I need to slip into something less metallic. Wanna come with me, and see what I wear under my armor?"

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to make A.I.M. the villains from the get-go, then realized they actually weren't a thing yet at this point in canon, and finally decided, eh, whatever, they can be there anyway! This is why the Avengers don't know who they are, and don't break out laughing at the beekeepers actually keeping bees.
> 
> This fic has a tumblr post [here](http://veldeia.tumblr.com/post/157950938181/an-excess-of-excitement-the-bee-phasic-remix)!


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